Showing papers by "Reed W. Larson published in 2014"

The Experience Sampling Method

Abstract: The Experience Sampling Method (ESM) is a research procedure for studying what people do, feel, and think during their daily lives, It consists in asking individuals to provide systematic self-reports at random occasions during the waking hours of a normal week. Sets of these self-reports from a sample of individuals create an archival file of daily experience.

How Adolescents Develop Responsibility: What Can Be Learned From Youth Programs

Abstract: This theory-building qualitative study examined how youth develop responsibility within the context of organized youth programs. Interviews were conducted with ethnically diverse youth, parents, and adult leaders from four programs for high school–aged teens. Analysis suggested that youth develop responsibility through a four-step cycle: (1) voluntarily taking on roles and obligations, (2) experiencing challenge and strain, (3) being motivated to fulfill their obligations, and (4) internalizing a self-concept that leads to responsible behavior in other contexts. Leaders support this learning cycle by creating program structures and providing ongoing support that helps youth experience ownership of demanding roles. Peers contribute by providing a sense of solidarity while also imposing mutual accountability.

Invited commentary: Positive youth development and human complexity.

Abstract: The process of positive development for adolescents includes struggling to address a wide variety of complex, often unstated bio-psycho-social-cultural challenges. These include formulating workable values, learning self-regulation, preparation for adult work roles—and innumerable other un-tidy puzzles. Variable-based research can only scratch the surface of how youth go about these processes; nonetheless, systematic longitudinal research like this can provide valuable information about developmental pathways and directions of change. Highlights from these papers include the finding that older youth report more goals aimed at meaningful connection with others and contributing to society; yet also that moral character did not differ by age. The papers suggest that relationships adults, hope, school engagement, participation in out-of-school programs, and intentional self-regulation can serve as mediators of positive development. Yet, a striking finding was that comparatively few youth in the study manifest a pattern of change marked by the coupling of increases in positive youth development and decreases in risk/problem behavior. We believe there is much beneath the surface to be uncovered.

Sense of Indebtedness Toward Parents: Korean American Emerging Adults’ Narratives of Parental Sacrifice

Abstract: This research examined the construct “sense of indebtedness toward parents” (SIP) as a concept that helps explain positive change in Korean American (KA) emerging adults’ views of their parents des...

Adolescents' Development of New Skills for Prospective Cognition: Learning to Anticipate, Plan, and Think Strategically

Abstract: Adolescence is an important age period for the development of prospective cognition. Teenagers become able to reason about the future, including anticipating events and formulating plans to reach goals. This article focuses on adolescents’ development of skills for strategic thinking: for anticipating possible scenarios in a plan and formulating flexible plans that take these into account. We have studied teens’ work on projects within youth programs (such as arts, leadership programs) because they provide real-world-like contexts for understanding development of these skills. Two case studies demonstrate the complexity of strategic skills and how they are learned. Effective strategic thinking requires learning to anticipate the particularities of the contexts and people involved in reaching a goal, for example, how to communicate effectively with a specific audience through a specific medium. It also requires learning general “meta” concepts and strategies that apply across situations, such as formulating plans that take uncertainties into account.

Dealing with Moms and Dads: Family Dilemmas Encountered by Youth Program Leaders

Abstract: The leaders of youth programs encounter a range of challenging situations that involve youth’s parents or families. This qualitative study obtained data on the variety and nature of these family-related “dilemmas of practice.” Longitudinal interviews with leaders of 10 high quality programs for high-school-aged youth yielded narrative information on a sample of 32 family dilemmas that they had encountered. Grounded theory analysis identified four categories of family dilemmas: 1) problems at home that become a concern to the leader, 2) parents’ expectations are incongruent with program norms or functioning, 3) parents do not support youth’s participation in the program or an aspect of the program, and 4) communicating with parents on sensitive matters. Each of these categories of dilemmas entailed distinct considerations and underlying issues that effective leaders need to be able to understand.

Epilogue: A new paradigm for the science and practice of engaging young people

Abstract: A hope of this Yearbook is to illuminate not only what promotes engagement but also how it can be fostered. In this epilogue, first we provide a short history of research on motivation. We then review the contributions of this Yearbook in providing a fuller, multidimensional, contextualized picture of human motivation, one that we believe is relevant and helpful to educational policy and practice. Last, we discuss where this research may head in order to engender conditions in which engagement in schooling becomes more universal.